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The Solar System

The Solar System. Introductory Information. Our cosmic address Earth, The Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, The Local Group, The Local Supercluster, The Universe Big bang – one explanation of cosmic origin Started about 14 bya, Milky Way 12 bya, & solar system 4.6 bya

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The Solar System

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  1. The Solar System

  2. Introductory Information • Our cosmic address • Earth, The Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, The Local Group, The Local Supercluster, The Universe • Big bang – one explanation of cosmic origin • Started about 14 bya, Milky Way 12 bya, & solar system 4.6 bya • Universe is continually expanding except where galaxies are. • Gravity in galaxies allows for recycling of matter from supernovae • Solar System is product of many generations of recycling • Which is why Earth is made up of other elements besides H & He • Light years – unit of msrmnt. for dstnc to stars • 1 ly = 6 trillion miles (light travels 185,000 mi/s) • Astronomical Unit – what distances in solar system are msrd • 1 AU = 93 million miles or Earth’s average distance from sun

  3. Introductory Information cont. • Copernican Revolution – sun centered solar system • Nicholas Copernicus advanced Aristarchs’ idea (300 BC) • Found geometrical relationships amongst the planets • Published book = De Revolutionibus Orbium Caelestium • Johannes Kepler – law’s of planetary motion • planetary orbits are elliptical w/ sun at one focus • More distant planets orbit at slower speeds • Galileo – used telescope to solidify helio-centric view • observed 4 moons orbiting Jupiter not Earth • Observed Venus going through phases • Copernicus video • Milky Way picture

  4. HAL • Galaxy clusters – groups of galaxies w/ more than a few dozen members. • Observable universe – portion of the entire universe that we can potentially observe • 14 billion light years away • Entire universe may be far larger • Stellar Parallax • Cemented concept of sun centered solar system • Nearby stars appear to shift back and forth against distant stars when Earth is at opposite sides of its orbit around the Sun

  5. Writing prompt Some people think that our tiny physical size in the vast universe makes us insignificant. Others think that our ability to learn about the wonders of the universe gives us significance despite our small size. What do you think?

  6. Links Planetary Orbit Simulation How the solar system formed Solar System info Mercury Space School Learn about Mercury

  7. Mercury • Smallest planet and dead but used to be alive • Large iron core • evidence of volcanism and tectonics • small lava plains & sheer cliffs (3 km high) run for 100’s of km. • Cliffs occurred b/c core shrank as it cooled (by as much as 20 km) • Orbits sun in 88 days • slow rotation & no atmosphere accounts for extreme temps. • Daylight = 425º C, shadow = -125º C • Most heavily cratered planet in solar system • Caloris Basin - impact crater (900 mi. in diameter) • largest surveyed in solar system • spans 1/2 of Mercury’s radius • Looks similar to our Moon

  8. Venus • Closest planet to Earth & nearly the same size (5% diff) • Retrograde rotation (spins clockwise) or 177.4º tilt • Hottest planet in solar system (470º C) • due to runaway greenhouse effect (b/c of proximity to Sun) • thick cloud covered atmosphere is 96% CO2 • originated from numerous volcanoes • water baked out of crust & mantle & lost from atmosphere • reason for lack of Earth-style plate tectonics (thicker, stronger lith) • Surface is generally smooth and rolling plains • few impact craters distributed uniformly (total repaving 1 bya) • 3 large elevated continents (Ishtar, Aphrodite, Lada Terra) • little erosion - rain never touches surface & slow rotation • orbital period of 225 days, rotates every 243 days

  9. Mars • 1.5 AU, mass 90% smaller than Earth • has led to its dying state. • 2 moons Phobos & Deimos (asteroids) • 24 hr. rotation, 1.9 yr. Orbit, • polar caps of mostly frozen CO2 • Olympus Mons - largest volcano in solar system • Located on Tharsis Bulge w/ other large volcanoes • 600 km. Across (Arizona), 26 km. Tall (3x Mt. Everest) • Valles Marineris - large valley (formed from tect. stress) • long as U.S. is wide (3000 mi), 4x deep as Grand Canyon (4 mi). • No liquid water exists on surface (pressure & temp.) • possible subsurface water that is released by volcanism.

  10. HAL • Mars’ has similar seasons as Earth • due to tilt on axis • varies from 0º - 60º (due to Jupiter and Earth’s moon) • drives strong pole to pole winds • 1/3 of CO2 moves seasonally between north and south caps • when tilt is small = caps stay frozen • when tilt is great = sublimation of CO2 = larger greenhouse effect • Fate of lost gas • locked up in polar caps, chemically bonded in surface rocks, blasted away by impacts, blown away by solar winds

  11. Terrestrial vs. Jovian • Smaller size and mass • Higher density • Made mostly of rock and metal • Solid surface • Few if any moons and no rings • Closer to the Sun = warmer surfaces • Closer to each other • Larger size and mass • Lower density • Made mostly of H, He, & hydrogen compounds • No solid surfaces • Rings and many moons • Farther from the Sun = cool temps. • Farther apart from each other

  12. Jupiter • Most massive planet in solar system • 300 x Earth • Almost entirely H & He • hydrogen cmpnds. (CH4, NH3, C2H6, C3H8) are rspnsbl. for its clouds & colors • Great Red Spot - most dramatic weather pattern in Solar System • Consistent feature for over 300 yrs. • extreme pressure = liquid hydrogen • Over 60 moons • Galilean moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto) • Io = most volcanically active object in the Solar System • Ganymede = largest moon in Solar System

  13. HAL • Jupiter has huge magnetic field (20,000 x Earth’s) • due to metallic hydrogen • formed from immense pressure inside Jupiter • orbital resonance - orbital periods falling into simple mathematical relationships • Ganymede orbits once for every 2 of Europa & 4 of Io) • forms elliptical orbits for 1st 3 moons • Increases flexing on Io = volcanism • Saturn’s rings are made up mostly of ice & rock • span over 270,000 km in diameter but only a few meters thick • Cassini Gap - large space that separates the rings.

  14. Saturn • 29.5 yr. orbit, 10 hr. rotation, 27º axis tilt. • Atmosphere similar to Jupiter’s (H & He) except less pressure due to less gravity. • Cloud layers lie deeper = washes out colors to tan • Slightly smaller in diameter than Jupiter but 1/3 less massive. • Results in an equatorial bulge (10% wider) • rapid 10 hr. rotation and weak surface gravity • extra gravitational pull that helps keep moons & rings aligned at equator • Titan - 2nd largest moon in s.s., larger than mercury • only moon w/ a thick atmosphere • 90% N, then rest is Ar, CH4, C2H6 • close to same atmospheric pressure as Earth.

  15. Uranus • 20 AU, 84 yr. orbit, 98º axis tilt, 14x Earth’s mass & 4x Earth’s radius • Axis of rotation parallel to orbit’s plane. • Possible result of cataclysmic collision during formation • makes for most extreme pattern of seasons on any planet • 42 yr. long nights & days if at poles • incr. Time to interact w/ solar ultraviolet light & make haze • hot thermosphere • More hydrogen compounds (CH4) than Saturn & Jupiter = blue color. • CH4 20x more abundant = reflect blue light • Over 21 moons (medium to small sizes)

  16. Neptune • 30 AU, 164 yr. orbit, 29º axis tilt, 17x Earth’s mass • Twin of Uranus but deeper blue • more sunlight reaches down into its clouds • Triton - coldest world in s.s. (-391º F) • reflects nearly all of light due to its N ice composition. • retrograde orbit & highly inclined to Neptune’s equator • Captured from interplanetary space

  17. Remnants of Rock and Ice • Asteroids - rocky leftover planetismal orbiting the Sun • 1 mil. or more of 1 km or greater = 1 object 2000 km in diameter • most found btwn Mars & Jupiter = asteroid belt • avrg. distance btwn asteroids is millions of kms • Comet - icy leftover planetismal orbiting Sun • from either Oort Cloud or Kuiper Belt • nucleus (main part), coma (atmosphere arnd nucleus), tail (ext. of coma) • Meteor - flash of light in the sky due to particle burning up in atmosphere • Meteorite - rock that has fallen from space to ground • usually covered w/ dark pitted crust & have high metal content • presence of rare elements (iridium sank to Earth’s core)

  18. HAL • Trojan asteroids - 2 sets that share Jupiter’s orbit (60º) • # could be as high as those in asteroid belt • Primitive meteorites (chondrites) - remnants from birth of s.s. • most are stony = rocky minerals w/ pure metallic flakes • have chondrules - small roundish features • Processed meteorites (achondrites)- once part of a larger object that “processed” the original material of solar nebula to another form • high density of iron/nickel mixture or basalt-like composition. • Comet tails point away from the Sun

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